Heng Chee How
Singapore
“And in the case of overseas training, then there will be specific link-ups into the systems of our overseas partners, for example, if there is a need to further send the injured NSman to the local hospitals for more specialised treatment, that, too, was all planned in as well in terms of the protocols.”
“In addition to conducting regular exchanges with their professional counterparts, SAF personnel in our overseas training detachments participate actively in local community life and contribute back to the local communities, thus contributing to the strengthening of bilateral ties.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Giam for his question. The NS allowance, the nature of it, it is in a form of honorarium and for that, CPF is not payable. However, I just wanted to emphasise two points. One, within the NS journey, they are actually eligible for NS HOME Awards, which are paid out in the course of the NSmen's journey.”
“Mr Chairman, as we look forward, MINDEF/SAF’s commitment to NS and to our NSmen remains steadfast. We will continue to enhance the NS experience, maximise the contributions of our NSmen, and strengthen recognition for their service.”
“Mr Speaker, we have shown care for our older workers as a Government, as tripartite partners, not only in words but in deeds. As a result, we have made very substantial progress for our older workers, often bucking global trends. The environment we must deal with will be increasingly challenging.”
“Ultimately, fighting age discrimination is not only a legal matter nor is it just a moral imperative. It is also an economic necessity that will help sustain long-term prosperity for all.”
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“This optimises training outcomes while enhancing safety supervision and minimising injury. Since April 2023, all SAF recruits have been issued wearables and heart rate zone-based training has been incorporated into their physical training. We have also made good progress in developing a next-generation digital safety information system. Today, SAF units actively use the SafeGuardian app to submit near-misses and incident reports. All of this data is stored on the Enterprise Safety Information System. Units, such as the 1st Commando Battalion, have used insights from past trends to identify potential risk factors and adjust their training programmes accordingly to mitigate musculoskeletal injuries. The Army has also used this data in a quarterly alert called PING, which stands for "Proactive Information to Nudge and Guide". It compares each quarter's training activities with the preceding work year, so that units are aware of and can prevent common safety incidents. Beyond technology, we regularly audit and review our safety systems and processes to ensure that they remain robust. Mr Mohd Fahmi asked about this. The Inspector-General's Office commenced its third audit cycle in April 2023, covering formations across the Services. Most recently, they completed system reviews to strengthen the training and qualification system for combat vehicle operators, and to enhance the safe conduct and management of inter-Service training. The SAF also regularly benchmarks itself against external practices and standards through the work of the External Review Panel on SAF Safety (ERPSS). The third ERPSS recently completed their work. It continues to find strong command emphasis on training safety across the SAF.”
“With the Republic Polytechnic, we have launched the SPS-IC Diploma for Electrical and Electronic Engineering and another one for Information Technology. Students taking cybersecurity or aerospace electronics courses with Singapore Polytechnic, or electrical and electronics engineering or IT courses with Republic Polytechnic are eligible. Applications are already open. Those selected will serve for three to five years through a combination of full-time NS and Regular service as Cyber Specialists, or through full Regular service as Air Force Engineers or Naval Warfare System Experts. We will expand this to other polytechnics and vocations in due course. Our operationally-ready NSmen may also have developed niche skills beyond their full-time NS period, in their civilian careers. Since 2014, the SAF has been identifying NSmen with relevant skills and redeploying them to units where they can contribute their civilian expertise. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked for an update. In 2023, we redeployed about 260 NSmen. In total, about 790 NSmen have been redeployed over the years into roles, such as Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) operators and legal officers. We will continue to expand our efforts, having introduced marine survey as a new domain in 2023. Maximising the operational readiness of NS personnel goes hand-in-hand with ensuring their safety and well-being. This is core to the social compact. Dr Wan Rizal and Mr Mohd Fahmi asked about training safety. We are employing technology to improve performance while enhancing safety. The SAF has successfully tested using wearables to allow trainers to monitor the physiological data of soldiers in real-time and to calibrate fitness training accordingly.”
“Since 2021, the SAF has redesigned 1,800 roles in vocations, such as Combat Medics, Infantry Carrier Vehicle Operators and Transport Operators. This has allowed about 700 NSFs to take on important operational roles, compared to if the roles were not redesigned. Second, we invest in and tap on NSmen's skills and knowledge. One example is through Work-Learn Schemes which Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about. With these, NSFs attain a diploma or partial university credits while performing a period of full-time NS followed by Regular service. This allows NSFs to fulfil their academic aspirations, put their learning into practice and contribute even better to the SAF with their enhanced skills and knowledge. Since the first Cyber Work-Learn Scheme in 2018, we have expanded to domains such as engineering, supply chain management and artificial intelligence, and we will continue to explore additional domains. In 2023, we introduced two new schemes. One, for NSFs to pursue Diplomas in Paramedic Science and be deployed as Army Medic Specialists. The other for officer or specialist cadets to serve as NSF Trainers, while gaining credits for an undergraduate degree with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). With this, we have now eight Work-Learn Schemes with about 520 NSFs enrolled since 2018. And we are doing more. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about tapping on pre-enlistees. We are partnering Singapore Polytechnic and the Republic Polytechnic to introduce new schemes for final-year diploma students to fulfil their internship requirements and enlist concurrently. With Singapore Polytechnic, we have launched the Polytechnic Cyber Work-Learn Scheme and the SAF-Polytechnic Sponsorship for Integrated Curriculum Diploma, or SPS-IC Diploma for Aerospace Electronics.”
“Mr Chairman, the Minister for Defence described the dynamic nature of the security threats that we face and highlighted the importance of building an SAF to meet these challenges. NS is the cornerstone of Singapore's defence and it is critical that we continue to strengthen its effectiveness. Last year, I spoke about changes arising from the work of the NS Review Committee. We introduced measures to make the most of the contributions of NSmen to improve the NS experience and enhance the support for and recognition of NS. I will provide an update on those initiatives as well as announce new ones. Given low fertility rates, declining cohort sizes and an increasingly demanding mission, the SAF must continue to optimise the contributions of every NSman. Mr Henry Kwek asked how we are managing this. We are doing so in two key ways. First, by reviewing medical fitness criteria and matching these to the physical requirements of jobs, we maximise the effective deployment of NSFs. Mr Saktiandi Supaat also asked about the assessments conducted for pre-enlistees. Psychometric assessments are conducted before enlistment. Functional assessments, which were introduced in January 2022 for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions, assess their ability to perform the physical tasks required for the job roles. This allows for more deployment options than if one were to rely purely on medical classifications. The results have been encouraging. We were able to deploy about 200 out of the 280 pre-enlistees tested since 2022 to contribute effectively in the wider range of roles. The SAF has also continued to redesign job roles for NSFs by leveraging technology to assist with physical requirements. More NSFs are then able to take on a wider range of roles.”
“Beyond workplaces, there is also a growing need to expand and scale-up viable, accessible care services to cater to a rapidly ageing population. In the context of my focus today, I argue that this is important not only for the health and well-being of our seniors but also for the employability of their middle-aged working family caregivers. More of these family caregivers may then not need to quit work in order to undertake their care duties or, at least, to delay such an eventuality. Every year of continued working will significantly help with the retirement adequacy of the caregiver. I urge the Government to work closely and intensively with trusted partners to further develop this ecosystem, so that Singapore and Singaporeans can truly enjoy the full benefits of better health, better care, better earnings and stronger retirement adequacy. Mr Speaker, there is a saying that no one cares how much you know, till they know how much you care. NTUC stands with our older workers as they confront job insecurity and the risk of skills obsolescence. We care, not just by asking for more or just by asking someone else to solve the problem or waiting for an invitation. We put our ideas forward, we push for social change, make a real difference to their outcomes. Why? Because our workers are waiting for us to do that, and we will get it going and get it done. NTUC's approach is forward-looking, inclusive, action-oriented and practical, just like the PAP Government's. I believe that this is the right and best way to secure sustainable good outcomes for workers and for Singaporeans. Working closely with the Government and tripartite partners, we will together build a better, more caring Singapore for workers of all ages. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.”
“I also want to thank Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for recognising the value of the CTCs in his speech earlier today. From NTUC, we pledge to work ever more closely with the Government in order to roll this out, not only in numbers but in effectiveness in order that we might be able to help as many workers as soon as possible. I ask all employers to form CTCs soonest and to work with NTUC and our unions to ensure that workers of all ages are given fair opportunity to be well-trained. These workers will then help energise your company's growth. The third area that needs tackling is that of age bias. Older workers worry about age bias in several areas, namely, access to training as I mentioned, the availability of flexible work arrangements, so that they continue working while seeing to care needs and fair consideration as job seekers after being displaced. Empirical research suggests that these fears about age bias have basis, and it requires tackling. For this reason, I look forward to the Workplace Fairness legislation and the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements Requests that the Government will be introducing. The Workplace Fairness legislation will build on existing tripartite mechanisms, such as the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) and relevant joint guidelines to give even greater confidence or fair play to workers. This will be a strong national signal against various forms of workplace discrimination, including age bias. NTUC and our unions will work closely with employers to advance the interest of workers and companies.”
“Sir, when older workers expressed their hope to be able to continue working, they also shared their anxieties about this forced obsolescence, this being rendered "out of date" and then really rust away. NTUC found that more than nine in 10 older workers, besides wanting to continue working, they want to be continually trained. These workers knew that training was critical to their remaining relevant in their jobs and they particularly worry about access to training opportunities. I thank the Finance Minister for announcing the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme for all Singaporeans aged 40 and above, aimed particularly at programmes and courses that would enhance employability. This shows that the Government is alive to the important nexus between the older workers' training and their employment and their employability. Relevance is as salient as legislation in terms of bringing about an increase in effective working years. The question is, how to make that happen? Of course, funding is important. That is why the Budget is important. Yet, together with funding and for real outcomes, effective implementation is also key. Therefore, we must scale-up mechanisms that can ensure actual implementation according to the intent in the workplace. This is why I fully support fellow labour MP Desmond Tan's call for employers to quickly work with the NTUC and our unions to form CTCs. Through active CTCs, businesses can transform faster and workers of all ages can be helped to be trained in relevant skills and to be able to grow with the companies. And, here, I again thank the Government for the $100 million funding to NTUC to scale-up CTCs in order to achieve real outcomes for all stakeholders.”
“Out of the 10 who were there, eight and a half of them would say that they wanted to continue working and, out of these eight and a half, or 85% of the older workers who participated in our conversations, six out of the eight and a half, hoped to continue working in their current jobs or in the current industry where they have accumulated experience and value. Many also asked when the Government will announce the next increase in statutory retirement and re-employment ages, since there is still a gap between the current ages and the goal of reaching the retirement age of 70 and the re-employment age of 65 by the year 2030. And just to remind fellow Members here, these 2030 goals of statutory retirement age of 65 and statutory re-employment age ceiling of 70 was the work of the Tripartite Workgroup (Older Workers), whose report came out in 2019, and the roadmap was endorsed. It is now 2024. I, therefore, call on the Government to announce the next step increase in the retirement and re-employment ages soonest and to give reasonable notice to both business and workers, so that both sides can get ready in good time. We should act promptly because we are already practically halfway there in terms of timeframe so that we can implement the next increase by, say, in two years' time, that is, by 2026. I believe this is the pace that we need in order to reach those agreed goals by the year 2030, given the uncertainties that are inherent in the economic environment worldwide. Next, I will speak on the subject of equity in opportunity and access to training so as to minimise the risk of premature displacement of our older workers.”
“And this will increase the risk of premature displacement, despite legislated retirement and re-employment ages. Third, there continues to be ground feedback about the relative lack of equitable opportunity and access to training and skills upgrading for older workers compared to their younger counterparts. In NTUC's Every Worker Matters focus groups, six in 10 older workers who participated felt so. They felt a relative lack of opportunity for training and skills-building compared to their younger counterparts. These challenges must be properly addressed so that our joint aim of enabling older workers to continue working and saving for retirement is not undermined by the evolving demographics in our country and by big environmental changes worldwide. I thank the Finance Minister for announcing the next calibrated increase in CPF contribution rates for older workers aged 55 to 65 in this Budget and this will certainly help grow their CPF funds faster. We, the NTUC, are also grateful for the enhancements to the Silver Support Scheme, the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme and specific initiatives under the Majulah Package, such as the Earn and Save Bonus, the Retirement Saving Bonus and the MediSave Bonus. All these efforts will increase the CPF savings of older workers and make for greater security in retirement. However, it remains true that the most material way to help older workers financially in retirement is by adding to the effective working years and, here, I stress the world "effective" as opposed to legislated. During NTUC's Every Worker Matters Conversations organised last year, we asked older workers who participated what they hoped to do when they reach the current retirement age of 63.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join this debate. My fellow labour MPs have spoken for various segments of workers. I will focus on advancing the interests of older workers. Workers aged 55 and above make up more than a quarter of our resident workforce today. The Government and the tripartite partners have done a lot for our older workers over the years. From lengthening employment to strengthening employability and augmenting retirement needs, there had been significant progress over the years. This was even so during the COVID-19 years, in sharp contrast to what happened in many other economies where many of their older workers lost their jobs and have the problem of coming back. For the immediate term, older workers face the cost-of-living pressures like everyone else. And I thank the Government for the Assurance Package and other cost-defraying measures in this and past Budgets to help Singaporeans cope with this pressure. The help was timely and very well-received. Beyond the immediate pressures, older workers genuinely worry about other developments and for today, I will highlight three. First, they worry. There is the worry about the efficacy of ensuring longer work spans by just legislating higher retirement and re-employment ages. Why? Because such legislation, important as they are, may likely come under pressure if it is not effectively combined with skills-building. Two, the risk of skills obsolescence is increasing with accelerating changes in technology and business models. For example, some industries are facing structural shifts, such as those brought about by the green transition and others. The pervasive impact of AI on how work will be carried out is also not a trivial matter for workers.”
“The Minister for Defence has the power to make the Regulations. So, this clarifies the language of what is the meaning of "prescribe". As Members know, the Regulations are subsidiary legislation and subsidiary legislation must conform to and cannot fall outside of the scope of the overriding primary legislation, and the Enlistment Act is the primary legislation in this case. So, when you make Regulations pursuant to this Act, it must keep within the scope of the mother Act. And all amendments at the Act level will need to go through the relevant parliamentary processes, where they will be subject to parliamentary oversight and public scrutiny. And even when amendments to Regulations are made, then they will also be published in the Government Gazette. Therefore, it is fully transparent to the public. And where there are queries, again, this can be debated. Mr Speaker, in closing, I would like to conclude by thanking the Members who have spoken and all Members of this House once again for their support of the Bill. The Enlistment Act and the Requisition of Resources Act have served Singapore well. The proposed amendments will ensure that our NS and civil resources requisition systems keep up with the times and remain effective and up-to-date. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.”
“There will be no change to the current statutory protections that are already accorded to these voluntary services under the respective Acts, such as the SAF Act, the Police Force Act and Civil Defence Act. For SAF volunteers, we are removing mention of the People's Defence Force because it is also obsolete. For SPF and SCDF volunteer ex-NSmen, section 68A of the Police Force Act and section 9A of the Civil Defence Act already accord them the same protections as Part 6 of the Enlistment Act. So, there is a duplication and, as a result, we are just taking out the duplication and having that deleted. Once again, at this point, I just want to reiterate on behalf of MINDEF, SAF as well as the Home Team our heartfelt thanks to all our NS officers, NSFs, NSmen, through all these generations, our volunteers, for their selfless contributions, for their devotion to the defence of this country. Their efforts are invaluable in continuing to build a strong SAF, SPF and SCDF so that, together, we can protect Singapore against threats and stand ready in all kinds of crisis scenarios. Next, on the Minister's regulation-making powers under section 37 of the Enlistment Act. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked about the amendments to section 37 of the Enlistment Act, as well as to clarify the Minister's powers to make regulations under the Enlistment Act and how we would guard against the potential misuse of such powers. He says not to have the power to regulate in a vacuum. Indeed, it will not be acting in a vacuum. The amendment to section 37 of the Enlistment Act simply clarifies the language that any reference to the term "prescribe" in the Act means that it can be prescribed via the Regulations made by the Minister for Defence. This is already the case actually.”
“And as part of this, we will constantly review requirements, processes, technologies, more productive methods. Next, I move on to deletion of the Part-Time NS reference in section 14 of the Enlistment Act. As for deleting the reference to Part-Time NS at section 14(1)(b)(ii) of the Enlistment Act, actually there are no practical consequences because the clause is obsolete. Why? Because Part-Time NS itself ceased in 1972. So, we are just taking out something that is obsolete. Next, on self-employed NSmen and Make-Up Pay (MUP) under section 24 of the Enlistment Act, let me thank Mr Don Wee for his support for the amendment to section 24 of the Enlistment Act to explicitly allow for self-employed NSmen, just like employed NSmen, to claim remuneration for losses in their civilian income, or Make-Up Pay (MUP), when they attend Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) activities. For most self-employed NSmen, with their consent, the income data is retrieved from IRAS and their MUP is automatically re-calculated based on the average monthly trade income in their latest income Notice of Assessment. Self-employed NSmen can also choose to submit supporting documents to appeal for a different MUP amount, because of their individual circumstances, if they believe that the amount automatically calculated for them is incorrect or not fair to them. They can submit their documents and then, each case will be carefully looked into. We want to ensure fairness. Next, on voluntary service in Part 6 of the Enlistment Act. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked about the amendments to Part 6 of the Enlistment Act, where references to voluntary service in the People's Defence Force of the SAF and the Special Constabulary of the SPF are being removed. The proposed amendments are administrative.”
“The intent of that section to have been in the law in the first place is to define a maximum. By defining a maximum, what it does is this. It actually put it onto the Government to make sure that whatever you are doing, in order to require citizens to give off their time to defend this country, you work within this maximum period of up to two-and-a-half years. It does not say that you must use two-and-a-half years. And if through technology, better processes, productivity improvements, you can require less time from the people so that they can pursue other important priorities in their lives, then, you should do so. This was exactly why, as Mr Leong Mun Wai pointed out, in June 2004, the effective NS period was reduced from two-and-a-half years to two years, which is still the case today, notwithstanding that maximum. The idea is very clear and by that very act of reducing it in 2004, the stance of the Government is also very clear, which is that we honour the sacrifice of our people in providing time to together defend this country. And we will not want to take any more time from them than what is necessary. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean at that time, the Defence Minister, had looked at the overall situation, the security situation, and determined that two years was appropriate. Mr Leong Mun Wai also asked whether or not this continual review of requirements will be something quite standard in the way in which MINDEF would look at the requirements of manpower, the answer will be yes. We stand by this commitment to say that we thank our citizens for contributing their time to serve this country in NS. We commit to using their time the best way possible and not to require of them more than is necessary.”
“If an immigration officer has reason to believe that the person requires an Exit Permit, for example if the person is a male citizen or Permanent Resident of NS-liable age and indicates that he is going to be overseas for a long time – for example, he is going to be overseas for a year – then the immigration officer may request to sight, to look at the person's Exit Permit or a relevant written exemption, in order to allow him to leave Singapore. This is for verification. It is not a new power, but this is just to make it very clear for all parties involved. Next, on the administrative amendments, is a clarification on liability to serve full-time NS which is section 12 of the Enlistment Act. In reply to Mr Yip Hon Weng, the amendments to section 12 do not impact the duration of full-time NS, which is maintained at two years for all NS-liable individuals regardless of rank. The amendments simply update the Enlistment Act to now include references to the SPF and SCDF, because NSFs are also sent over to the SPF and SCDF. And for completeness in this revision exercise, we included the rank structures across the SPF and SCDF to correspond and commensurate with the equivalent in the SAF, for clarity again. I note Mr Leong Mun Wai also spoke about this provision for a maximum duration of NS. I would like to address that point. One of the things we often say about Singapore is that we have no natural resources. All we have is our people. That is always true. And at the same time, precisely because all we have is our people, then how we use their time is important and there must be a good purpose for asking our people to contribute their time to do things under the law as a requirement. And NS is an example of this.”
“Finally, we urge the public to promptly report any suspicious messages claiming to be from MINDEF or the SAF, or the Home Team. Individuals can also call or email the NS Call Centre to verify the authenticity of any SMS, email or message that they received purporting to be from MINDEF, SAF or the Home Team. Next, accommodating future innovations in communications technology. Mr Yip Hon Weng also asked if the changes to section 30 of the Enlistment Act are sufficiently flexible to accommodate future innovations in communications technology. The answer is yes. Should MINDEF begin utilising new technologies to issue orders or notices to individuals, then they would be covered in a newly proposed section 30(2)(n), or they can be prescribed by the Minister for Defence in subsidiary legislation under the new proposed section 30(2)(o). Next, on amendments to section 32 of the Enlistment Act touching on Exit Permits. Mr Don Wee asked about the consequential amendment to section 52 of the Immigration Act and how immigration officers may determine if a person subject to the Enlistment Act has the required Exit Permit. Actually, the immigration officer today, if he suspects anybody to not possess the right documents in order to enter or to exit Singapore, has already the powers to inquire. So, the amendment that we are proposing in this Bill is to make it clear because, just as we are making it clear who is liable for NS and to have an Exit Permit before leaving Singapore, we just want to make this consequential amendment in the Immigration Act.”
“The proposed legislation also requires consent to be given before orders and notices sent by electronic means can be presumed and deemed to have been received and read. Those who provide such consent can withdraw their consent at any time should they choose to do so. Individuals will be able to provide or withdraw such consent whenever they transact with MINDEF and SAF, such as through the NS Portal when they register for NS or when applying for an Exit Permit. Individuals will also be given the option to withdraw their consent at any time via the NS Portal. Next, on securing electronic communications against digital attacks and fraud. With regard to security against digital attacks, scams and fraud, certainly, these efforts and improvements on the part of MINDEF and the SAF, and the Home Team, will be an ongoing affair and it will just keep improving over time as technology improves and as we come to know of different developments on the part of the criminal fraternity and how we can be one step ahead of them. Sir, as an example, we no longer send clickable links in SMS notifications from MINDEF, because we have come to know that some malicious actors can use these links in order to con people. This is an example where we also have to move with the times. So, it is not just by modernising the channels, but also by keeping in touch very much with how these channels are being used or indeed, being misused to harm and cheat people, and then, we can actually overcome that as time goes on. It will be ceaseless effort and we are committed to doing that. We will also regularly conduct vulnerability assessments, penetration tests and audits on our IT systems, such as the NS Portal. These systems are also monitored 24/7 to quickly detect and neutralise any malicious activity.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Members for their strong support for the Bill. They recognise the importance of keeping our NS and civil resources requisition systems effective and up-to-date. This is to protect our country. I will now address their specific points. First, on amendments to section 30 of the Enlistment Act on orders and notices, which is on the acknowledgement and consent safeguards. On orders and notices issued as referenced at section 30 of the Enlistment Act, and in reply to Mr Don Wee and Mr Vikram Nair, I state once again very clearly that every effort will be made to ensure that orders and notices issued through electronic means reach their intended recipient. Furthermore, I want to again emphasise that should recipients fail to respond to these electronic orders and notices, then we will use other existing modes of service, such as through telephone calls as well as registered post in order to mail them the hard copy. Indeed, the whole intent of these amendments is to modernise the Act so that it includes means of communication that is used by everybody every day. It is just keeping up with the times. It is not the intention of this amendment to take away any sense of being properly informed in time. Rather, it is to enhance the convenience accorded to our NSmen, in being properly informed though means that most are very comfortable with. And as I mentioned earlier, 75% of NSmen already are acknowledging these orders and notices by replying to the SMS. These percentages, we think, will go up and this just formalises the lived reality. And as Mr Vikram Nair mentioned, that is the practice now and it will continue.”
“The amendment will make clear the periods of time where the serviceman's absence from service will not count towards the fulfilment of his NS liabilities. This will include periods of absence due to disciplinary reasons, for example, local and overseas imprisonment or detention; pre-trial civil custody for offences that the serviceman is subsequently convicted of; and rescinded medical leave, such as when a serviceman is found to have abused his medical leave when he was actually fit for duty. Finally, I will deal with the administrative amendments. We will remove and update references within the Enlistment Act and Requisition of Resources Act that are now obsolete. For example, references to "telex" as a mode of service of orders or notices will be removed because we no longer use this means to send out notices and orders. We will also add references to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) where necessary, to account for the fact that our NSmen are also deployed to the SPF and SCDF. We will also update references in the offence provisions of the Requisition of Resources Act to align with other national legislation. These amendments are administrative updates that do not impact existing NS or civil resource requisition policies or obligations. In conclusion, Sir, the Enlistment Act and Requisition of Resources Act have been in force since 1970 and 1985 respectively, and have served Singapore well. These amendments allow us to modernise and tidy up both the Enlistment Act and the Requisition of Resources Act. Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“For NSmen, the requirement is more relaxed in recognition of their higher likelihood of staying or working overseas for longer durations. NSmen will need to possess a valid Exit Permit for any travel overseas that exceeds a year. There had been past offenders who have claimed that they were not liable for Exit Permit offences just because they had not received a Registration Notice for NS. So, in order to make clear the intent of the law as it stands, section 32 of the amended Enlistment Act will now state explicitly that all NS-liable persons from age 13 onwards must adhere to Exit Permit requirements even if they have not yet registered for NS or have not yet received their Registration Notice. The amendment will clarify our existing policy and legal position which is that Exit Permit offences are strict liability in nature, that is, a person cannot claim to not be liable simply because he claims to be ignorant of the law of his NS obligations. We will make the relevant consequential amendments to section 52 of the Immigration Act, which empowers an immigration officer to act to prevent an NS-liable person from leaving Singapore, if that immigration officer has reason to believe that the individual does not possess an Exit Permit as required. This is to enable the immigration officer to inquire into this suspicion and require the person to produce for inspection the valid Exit Permit. Next, I will touch on section 27 of the Enlistment Act which deals with unaccountable periods. The proposed amendment at section 27(2) of the Enlistment Act specifies the types of periods that do not count towards the fulfilment of an NSman's NS liability.”
“In the same way, NSmen are notified of their call-ups today, civil resource owners are currently also notified of the requisition of their resources via an SMS. Another SMS will be sent if there is no acknowledgement of the first SMS. If these two SMSes – the first one and the reminder – elicit no response, MINDEF will contact the civil resource owners via existing means of service, such as by telephone call or personal delivery of the hardcopy notice. This requisition system has been used during exercises and civil resource owners have responded well. Our amendments to section 41 of the Requisition of Resources Act will, therefore, similarly legislate the inclusion of electronic means of service. Similar to the Enlistment Act, safeguards will also be in place to ensure that we have made every effort and every attempt to reach the civil resource owners. In this vein, the deeming provisions for electronic means of service are only meant to be applied onto the few civil resource owners who fail to comply with their obligations and remain uncontactable despite multiple attempts to reach them through the whole variety of channels. Consent will also be sought from the civil resource owners before orders and notices sent by electronic means can be presumed and deemed to have been received and read by them. Those who provide such consent can also withdraw their consent at any time, should they choose to do so. Sir, I move next to the amendments on clarifying existing policies on section 32 of Enlistment Act, which deals with Exit Permits. Today, pre-enlistees from age 13 years and full-time National Servicemen (or NSFs) are required to possess a valid Exit Permit for any travel overseas that goes beyond three months' duration.”
“Members may worry that recipients may receive many digital notifications, such as emails or SMSes, in the course of a normal day and could genuinely miss out on reading some of these electronic notifications from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), SAF or the Home Team. Let me assure the House that we will put in multiple safeguards and be very fair to our NSmen. First, we will continue today's practice of issuing orders and notices to individuals through various channels. Specifically, should individuals fail to respond to orders or notices issued by electronic means, MINDEF will follow on to serve them with notices or orders using existing modes of service, such as telephone calls or registered post. This ensures that we make every attempt and make every effort to have the orders and notices reach their intended recipient. Second, MINDEF will also codify in subsidiary legislation the steps which we will take in serving orders and notices on individuals such that people will have the full assurance that their attention will be adequately brought to the obligations they need to fulfil for NS. Third, as an added safeguard, we have proposed a new provision at section 30(2A), which requires consent to be given before orders and notices sent by electronic means can be presumed and deemed to have been received and read. Those who provide such consent can withdraw that consent at any time, should they choose to do so. Next, I will move on to speak about section 41 of the Requisition of Resources Act under the section of orders, notices and requisitions. Similar changes regarding the electronic delivery of orders, notices and requisitions will be made to section 41 of the Requisition of Resources Act.”
“Under section 30 of the current Enlistment Act, orders and notices to NS or SAF personnel are served through various means, such as through telephone calls, radio or television broadcast and registered post. Over the past two decades, notices and orders have also been served through electronic means. An Operationally Ready National Serviceman, or NSman for short, is now informed of his NS call-up activity via an SMS and in his NS Portal account. He can acknowledge the notice either by replying to the SMS directly, or by logging on to the NS Portal to do so. Should he fail to acknowledge the call-up notice which is sent to him electronically, he will receive another SMS reminder. And if he still fails to respond to that reminder, he is sent a hardcopy version of the notice via registered post. Around 75% of our servicemen today acknowledge receipt of their notices and orders electronically by the first or second SMS and do not need to receive hardcopy reminders. As the practice of receiving notices and orders by electronic means is now well accepted and entrenched, the proposed amendments to section 30 will formalise this into the amended Enlistment Act. As with the existing modes of service, such as telephone calls, radio or television broadcast and registered post, these electronic means of service come with the same deeming provisions, which presume Enlistment Act notices and orders are received and read within a fixed timeframe after delivery. Deeming provisions ensure that a recipient cannot feign ignorance of his NS obligations when notices and orders have been duly served.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Minister for Defence, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Enlistment Act passed by Parliament in 1970 was a crucial piece of legislation that enabled Singapore to build up the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team. The Enlistment Act entrenched National Service (NS), first introduced in 1967. The Requisition of Resources Act passed by Parliament in 1985 provided for the requisition of essential civil resources from individuals, businesses and organisations when it is "necessary for the securing of the public safety and defence of the country; or for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community; or for the conduct of exercises for any of the aforesaid purposes". Both the Enlistment Act and the Requisition of Resources Act have served Singapore well over the past five decades to build up our security forces to protect Singapore's sovereignty and to maintain law and order. The main provisions of the Enlistment Act and the Requisition of Resources Act continue to be relevant and need no amendments. However, there is a need to amend the Acts to keep pace with a modernised, digitalised Singapore that is quite different from the Singapore 50 years ago. Hence, the amendments proposed formalise present practices as well as remove obsolete clauses. I will now go through the amendments in detail. First, on the amendments to keep up with developments in digital technology, section 30 of the Enlistment Act – Orders and Notices. First, the proposed amendments to section 30 of the Enlistment Act concerning orders and notices that are issued under the Enlistment Act.”
“And the very purpose of having these exercises is, indeed, to better understand one another's operating procedures and also to learn from one another. The overall objective is to build friendly relations, better understanding and, at the same time, to be able to hone our ability to be effective in our operations.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his two supplementary questions. The first one is really on labour productivity; in other words, how you could man a naval asset with fewer people and yet maintain or enhance its fighting power. I would say that this applies not only to submarines or, indeed, not only to naval assets, but to all our military assets. As the Member would know, over the years, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) have worked tirelessly to continuously improve on the use of technology and different processes in the design of our equipment and in the improvements in the midlife upgrades of our equipment so that we can actually achieve more fighting power with less manpower being used to drive it. So, this is something that you can see progressively across all classes of our assets, whether they be land, air or sea. This would also apply to our naval assets and, indeed, also in the design of our submarines. So, I just wanted to give the Member and all Members of this House this assurance that MINDEF and SAF are acutely aware of the manpower constraint, and this is one of the top priorities as we make best use of this manpower and, at the same time, design, buy and equip our forces with equipment and assets that will serve our operational purpose. The second question is with regard to how the SAF – not only the Navy but across our different forces – will be able to interoperate with regional navies in order to better protect our interests. Here, I would like to point to the many exercises that the SAF – across land, sea and air – has been conducting with our neighbours and, indeed, friendly forces further afield all these years.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as a maritime nation, Singapore is highly reliant on the free and unimpeded movement of goods and materials across our Sea Lines of Communication. Within our Navy, which is tasked with the crucial mission of keeping these lines open, submarines are a strategic asset. With their stealth, submarines complement our surface fleet in countering surface and sub-surface threats and serve as a deterrence to potential aggressors. Our second-hand Challenger-class and Archer-class submarines, which are more than 60 years and 40 years old respectively, will be retired soon. They will be replaced by four Invincible-class submarines that are the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) first new-built submarines designed for our needs and operational requirements. Equipped with an advanced rudder drive system, the new submarines can better conduct manoeuvres in our shallow and busy tropical waters. They are designed to stay submerged for 50% longer than the Archer-class submarines and are equipped with better sensors and combat systems. Human factors have also been factored into the design and engineering to make work onboard safer and more effective, and living conditions improved and more sustainable. Overall, the new submarines will significantly enhance the Navy's capabilities to protect Singapore's interests at sea.”
“In addition, relevant MINDEF/SAF departments have been incorporated as part of the NEA/BCA biosecure built environment workstream which deals extensively at the whole-of-Government level to meet SS553 and SS554 air quality standards. In the event of outbreaks, MINDEF/SAF also has protocols, such as: one, demarcating ring-fencing facilities; two, instituting isolation plans; and three, implementing medical plans to deal with the potential emergence of clusters.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. As I alluded to in my answer, our norms are developed in compliance with national regulations. So, every time that there will be improvements or changes to these regulations, then certainly, we will take them in to make sure that we remain up-to-date in our provisions. In terms of the improvements or adjustments that we have made to render our facilities more pandemic-ready, that too has been made. For continued operational readiness and effectiveness, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF)/SAF buildings and infrastructure must be pandemic-ready. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a proactive approach by the Army to procure additional fans and air purifiers, distributed across the Army to increase ventilation in office and accommodation spaces. In new projects or when existing infrastructure is refreshed, a key design consideration is flexibility to allow for adaptation to dynamic requirements. Among the considerations to ensure pandemic-readiness are: one, space planning for safe social distancing for crowd and transmission control; two, provisions for plexiglass or shield equivalence as separators; and three, anti-microbial coatings on common touchpoints. Natural ventilation is a key design consideration for MINDEF/SAF accommodation spaces. In August 2021, NEA concluded a study of MINDEF/SAF accommodation spaces which assessed the adequacy of ventilation in rooms using CO2 samples as proxy. This study found that these naturally ventilated accommodations spaces had good readings of less than 800 PPM CO2.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, accommodation facilities in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are designed to be functional and cost-effective in supporting our operational and training requirements and meeting the health and well-being needs of its servicemen. The facilities are adequate, and comfortable and benchmarked to the guidelines of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) in areas including safety, ventilation design and sanitary provisions. The number of personnel per room ranges from two to 10, depending on the size of the rooms. On top of the shared living facilities, the individual sleeping and resting space for each serviceman is about seven square metres. The rooms are designed to make good use of natural ventilation and daylight. Typically, a four-person room has two ceiling fans and larger rooms may have more fans installed. Toilet and shower facilities are equipped with individual shower and toilet cubicles as well as urinals, with the guideline of five men to one toilet cubicle and eight men to one urinal.”
“I thank the Member. As part of my reply earlier, I alluded to that, where we have external partners, external to MINDEF and SAF, and this could be commercial partners, vendors that we use or they could be government-to-government. So earlier, my response was with regard to government-to-government. ST Engineering, where it provides a service to MINDEF and SAF, would be doing so under a commercial arrangement. And as part of my explanation earlier, I have also explained that MINDEF takes it very seriously, how we assess a provider, in terms of the standards of its cybersecurity in deciding whether or not to award a contract, of whatever classification that will be appropriate to that vendor. And where there are weaknesses exhibited in the systems of that vendor, we would certainly take that into account immediately, in working with that vendor on what happened, how do you strengthen your system to prevent recurrence and how MINDEF should take that into account in the future evaluation of contract awards.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. On the first one relating to the sharing of information with foreign governments, these are done through government-to-government agreements, such as the one that we have with the US. Certainly, wherever there are instances or incidents of a breach and so on, then these are all very specifically investigated in order to establish what might be the vulnerability, and what might be the additional measures that must be put in place in order to minimise the risk of such recurrence. And I think the Member would also agree that this will be an endless endeavour in the sense that you can never predict what might be the next breach but it is constant vigilance and established processes in order to mutually review and to tighten them up. The sharing of information is itself important for the ensuring of security in so many different aspects and, certainly, the utility of that is also not to be compromised. At the same time, we must look at how best to safeguard, especially, as technology moves and especially as perpetrators look for new ways to do it. That is the first one. With regard to the second question, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Member to just remind me.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. I think the start point is the acknowledgment that our systems, like systems everywhere, can be vulnerable to exploitation, either technologically or through human intervention. So, we must, therefore, develop systems in order to secure ourselves the best we can and part of that would include constant 24/7 monitoring to pick up abnormal patterns of behaviour and to be able to then react quickly to them and effectively. On the human front, as I explained in my answer, this is also an acknowledged source of vulnerability. And as the Member himself has also mentioned, there is a system of vetting and re-vetting. And this happens not only with incumbents periodically, but also whenever there are changes of personnel who are to be granted access to classified information. It is not foolproof, I agree, but, at the same time, we do it very systematically and rigorously to make sure that, to the extent possible, we take down that risk. At the same time, we constantly emphasise on reminding, educating, as well as emphasising the consequences of breaches to all related personnel, so that everybody knows that this will not be tolerated and the full force of the law will be applied when there are breaches.”
“All defence organisations face this conundrum through levels of classification, in order to strike that balance between protection and utility. When dealing with external parties or external partners, whether they be commercial or government-to-government, there are agreements for protection and handling of classified information and mutual obligations to protect both parties' classified information. But there is a limit despite these agreements in which MINDEF/SAF can control or compel standards of protection in their systems. Therefore, their security standards form an integral part of the assessment when MINDEF awards contracts. In some cases, companies assessed to have inadequate security standards have been dropped from consideration even when their products may be superior or competitively priced. In all systems, even ones with the most stringent protection, humans are a potential source and cause for leaks. Attempts to enter into secure systems by exploiting the vulnerabilities of selected individuals with access, using phishing emails or other means are an everyday occurrence. Proactive steps are taken to educate our personnel to mitigate against this vulnerability. MINDEF/SAF has also a cyber-monitoring centre that is stood up to detect malware and other threats posed online. When security breaches occur, there are established processes in place to thoroughly investigate and ascertain the information compromised and the extent of the damage incurred. The causes of the breach are also examined, and mitigating or improvement measures will be implemented, as necessary.”
“Thank you. Mr Speaker, with regard to the incident highlighted in the Members' questions, no classified information from Singapore has been reported or detected so far. There were two pieces of information related to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) contained in those "leaks", but they are not sensitive and they are information that is already in the public domain, namely, that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) uses the SPYDER air defence system and that a British Defence Singapore Support Unit is located in Sembawang to provide support services to visiting vessels from Australia, New Zealand and Britain as members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements. The need to protect our secrets is paramount and is a perennial preoccupation of MINDEF and SAF. As the dictum goes, "loose lips sink ships" and even our country, too, if the plans and capabilities of SAF are compromised and our defences weakened. Guarding our secrets securely requires a systemic approach and layers of safeguards, both physical and virtual – something that all defence establishments and militaries put into place to prevent leaks of important and vital information. I will assume that the Members' questions relate more to protecting information online and will not deal with the protection of physical assets. At the highest level of security, highly classified information is stored in air-gap systems with only internal connectivity and strict protocols for access and monitoring. This keeps the information secure but there is always a trade-off which impacts on efficiency for the organisation. Apart from productivity, classified information needs to be shared when plans are reviewed or when dealing with quick cycle events where information is needed expeditiously.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 16 and 17 together?”
“We hope that this effort – to build this hub and enhance our services to NSmen – will cater even better to the leisure needs of a younger generation of NSmen. Mr Chairman, we need an effective NS in order to safeguard our security and our sovereignty. We must build on the contributions of previous generations, take care of our NSmen and ensure that NS is well-positioned to safeguard our way of life into the future.”
“The audit findings show that the SAF's safety management systems remain robust despite the ramp-up of training over the past year following pandemic-related disruptions. I announced last year that the SAF was developing an Enterprise Safety Information System (ESIS). It has been fully adopted in the SAF, allowing quick spreading of safety lessons and easy submission of near misses and incidents by personnel across all ranks. The system enhances commanders' awareness and decision-making, in order to better prevent accidents. The SAF will continue to invest resources and harness technology to strengthen our safety culture. This concludes my update on the implementation of initiatives in our priority areas. Work in these areas will never end and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen the NS system and recognise our NSmen. With that, I am now pleased to make two announcements. First, in an effort to improve NS processes further, we have reviewed exit controls for NSmen and concluded that we are able to further relax them. From April this year onwards, NSmen will only need to apply for an Exit Permit when they leave Singapore for 12 months or more, up from the current six months or more. This change reflects the growing mobility of Singaporeans, with many of our NSmen staying or working overseas for longer durations. Let me assure Members that we have studied this very carefully and the SAF's operational readiness will not be affected as a result of this change. Second, in appreciation of the contributions of our national servicemen, the National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC) will be building a social and recreation hub that will come with chalets, sports facilities and other family-centric amenities. More details will be announced in due course.”
“The SAF will always pay particular attention to safe and effective training of our NSmen. Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Henry Kwek had asked about this. We are investing heavily in our training infrastructure. Minister for Defence Dr Ng had spoken about how SAFTI City will allow our NSmen to undergo realistic training for a wide range of scenarios as well as the SAF's plans to leverage technology, including simulators and real-time sensors, to enhance training. The development of expanded overseas training areas, including those in Australia, will also allow our NSmen to have more opportunities to participate in large-scale, integrated training. While training must be realistic to be effective, we will never compromise on safety. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about how the SAF balances safety and training effectiveness. Sharing of safety practices and co-development of safety management plans have always been an important part of training exercises that SAF conducts, both for itself as well as with other military forces. 12.00 pm Representatives from the SAF also attend international defence safety conferences, in order to share experiences and also to gain insights on safety benchmarks and practices. These are then put into reviews and revisions of safety standards to further enhance them where appropriate. The 3rd ERPSS, which began its three-year term in 2021, noted that the SAF had comprehensive systems to ensure the safety and health of our soldiers during training. This assessment was made after the Panel visited key SAF training schools and an overseas training exercise over the past two years. Miss Cheng Li Hui asked about audit findings and learning points. The SAF Inspector-General's Office recently completed its second audit cycle across all SAF formations.”
“As an example, the NS55 theme song "Back in the Day" accumulated over six million views online. The showcase at the Army Open House on the evolution of NS attracted 140,000 visitors. The community came together to organise activities such as walking alongside our NSmen under the NS55 Fitness Challenge. All in all, the NS55 campaign achieved its objectives. Surveys conducted after the campaign showed that 80% of our NSmen felt valued for their contributions to NS. And 90% of the general public felt that NS was a source of pride for Singapore. NS55 may have concluded but our efforts to recognise and support our NSmen and their families continue. In fact, we can already look forward to the opening of the new Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association (SAFRA) clubhouse in Choa Chu Kang in May this year. That will bring an exciting host of amenities, especially to the 90,000 NSmen who reside in the northwest. I think many of us might have seen the exciting photos of my colleague, Senior Minister of State Zaqy's recent hard-hat tour of the upcoming facilities. So, look out for that. Beyond recognition benefits, MINDEF and MHA are also committed to strengthening financial protection for SAF and Home Team servicemen and volunteers. In January, we doubled the coverage for the Group Term Life and Group Personal Accident insurance, up from $150,000 to $300,000. We have also extended the coverage to conditions, such as long-term hearing damage and decompression sickness. It is, therefore, fitting that the Group Personal Accident insurance is now called Group Personal Injury insurance – to reflect that extended coverage. I have covered the three thrusts of the NSRC but these are not our only priorities.”
“As part of the NS55 Recognition Package, $100 worth of credits were distributed electronically in July last year to more than a million NSmen past and present. When we checked in mid-February 2023, the 136,000 NSmen who had rated the NS55 redemption eService on LifeSG app had given it an average of 4.8 out of five stars. Over the past seven months, 76% of NSmen have started using or have already used their credits fully. This is a relevant piece of data because it shows that when it is made available to be used electronically, it makes it much more convenient and it speeds up the utilisation and the enjoyment of the benefit. In comparison, it took 18 months to achieve the same use for physical vouchers when we did that for NS50. I encourage all national servicemen to fully utilise your credits. Ms Poh Li San asked about the use of the OneNS platform to improve the NS experience. The OneNS platform is a consolidation of NS-related services and transactions into a single mobile app. We rolled out the first phase of OneNS to selected ICT units. NSmen in these units can register their attendance at ICT easily with the geolocation function on the app. This has allowed the units concerned to start the proper ICT programme earlier. OneNS will be extended to more units in the coming months. I now move on to the third thrust, which is that of enhancing recognition and support for NSmen, something which Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about. Last year, we conducted a year-long NS55 campaign themed "Generations of Strength". Mr Mohd Fahmi asked about the response to that campaign. Besides giving the NS55 Recognition Package to eligible NSmen, MINDEF and MHA organised a series of commemorative initiatives that was well received.”
“This means that if the data from CPF Board or IRAS indicates that an NSman earns less than $1,600 per month, MINDEF will top up his NS Pay to $1,600 per month, prorated according to the duration of the ORNS activity. As an example, if an NSman attends a 12-day ICT, on a prorated basis of a base pay of $1,600, he would be paid at least $600. This provides additional support to NSmen who are students or who are not employed or whose income from informal jobs may not be fully captured in CPF or IRAS data. We hope that this gives NSmen from lower-income segments greater financial security when they attend ORNS activities. On this, I just want to reiterate the point that MINDEF is fully committed to the well-being and welfare of both our NSFs and NSmen. Through so many examples that we have given, the public can be confident that we will regularly update such benefits, in order to take good care of our servicemen. Our efforts to digitalise NS transactions and touchpoints go beyond Make-Up Pay claims. Members who are NSmen would remember receiving physical vouchers from MINDEF and MHA in the past as part of our recognition efforts. Since 2021, we have replaced cash and voucher-based NS recognition benefits with digital credits disbursed through the LifeSG mobile app. With the change, national servicemen are now able to receive, carry and redeem their credits via their mobile devices. The credits can be used with any business that accepts payment by NETS or PayNow QR. Some businesses also offer our servicemen discounts for the use of the credits as a show of support for NS. When they do so, this has effectively further raised the dollar value of the benefits.”
“Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about this. This brings me to the second thrust of the NSRC's recommendations – that of improving the NS experience. A major administrative burden for employers and NSmen had been the filing of Make-Up Pay claims for In-Camp Training (ICT). In the past, this was done manually. Entries were, therefore, sometimes incomplete and payment delays happened. In September last year, we introduced an automated system that draws income-related information from the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to calculate Make-Up Pay amounts. If they so wish, employers and NSmen can review the computed amounts and file for adjustments. Otherwise, the amounts will be paid out automatically and there is no action needed on their part. As a result, we have had very positive feedback. The claim amounts derived from CPF Board and IRAS data have proven to be up to date and accurate. Since September, 92% of claims have been processed automatically. Based on our estimates, the automated system will save employers, NSmen, MINDEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) more than 260,000 man-hours of processing effort every year. Apart from saving time, the automation has also allowed us to make payment much faster. Since September, 90% of claims have been paid within 10 days from the start of in-camp training (ICT). Practically, the payment is processed while people may still be undergoing their period of ICT. Alongside this automated system, we also introduced a base NS pay of $1,600 per month whenever NSmen attend ICT or other ORNS activities.”
“I have updated the House in recent years about Work-Learn Schemes for NSFs, a subject which Mr Don Wee asked about. Mr Abdul Samad also asked about career pathways in the SAF related to engineering. Under the Work-Learn Schemes, NSFs attain a diploma or partial university credits from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) while performing a period of full-time NS followed by regular service. They are trained in domains, such as artificial intelligence, supply chain management and engineering, which allows them to be deployed as digital specialists, supply supervisors and technicians respectively. Two months ago, we also introduced a new scheme for NSFs to pursue Diplomas in Engineering (Mechanical Technology) and be deployed as Naval Warfare System Specialists. Overall, 450 NSFs have enrolled in such Work-Learn Schemes so far. By 2025, we expect 500 NSFs to be enrolled in Work-Learn Schemes every year. Our efforts to maximise expertise cover not only NSFs, but also NSmen. Some of our NSmen have skills that the SAF needs, which they have acquired in their civilian careers. The SAF has stepped up efforts to identify and redeploy these NSmen to make better use of their civilian expertise and skills. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for an update on the results. The results have been encouraging. Over the past year, the SAF has redeployed 200 NSmen under the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme. This represents a four-fold increase from the average number of 50 NSmen a year between 2014 and 2021. New areas to which NSmen were redeployed last year included digital and intelligence, logistics and engineering. While optimising deployment is important, we also need to make NS processes more seamless, so that our national servicemen can focus on their training.”
“Members may also access the handout through the MP@SGPARL mobile app. Mr Patrick Tay asked about MINDEF's efforts to optimise the deployment of NSmen to maximise their contributions. Given low fertility rates and shrinking cohort sizes, the SAF needs to optimise the contributions of every soldier – in two ways. The first concerns medical fitness and job requirements. To complement our existing medical screening process, we introduced functional assessments for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for an update on this. Under this functional assessment, we assess the pre-enlistee's ability to do physical tasks, such as running, jumping and carrying heavy loads. This approach allows us to accurately match more servicemen to operational roles as compared to the traditional approach of matching servicemen based only on their medical diagnosis. To date, 100 pre-enlistees with certain orthopaedic conditions have undergone such functional assessments and 75 have been found to be fit to be deployed to a wider range of operational roles than before. At the same time, we are leveraging technology to redesign jobs. Similarly, this enables more servicemen to be deployed into operational roles. Since 2021, the SAF has redesigned 1,300 jobs in vocations, such as Medics, Infantry Carrier Vehicle Operators and Transport Operators, opening them up to more servicemen. The SAF is on track to do the same for another 500 jobs by the middle of this year, and that will bring it from 1,300, to 1,800 jobs. The second way is to maximise contributions that concern knowledge and skills. To keep up with the changing nature of conflict and emerging threats, the SAF needs to grow and tap the skills of our NSmen. In this, we have made good progress.”
“NSmen form the bulk of the SAF, the Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Their sacrifices and commitment lay the foundation for Singapore's security and prosperity. It is critical that we continuously maintain and strengthen the NS system. Here, I am happy to inform the House that public support for NS remains very strong. In one of MINDEF's surveys conducted among Singaporeans late last year, more than 98% of the respondents said that NS was necessary for Singapore's security, both now and in the future. It shows that Singaporeans understand that small states are inherently vulnerable, that we need to take responsibility for our own defence and that NS remains, I would say more than relevant – it remains critical. This outcome does not come by chance. MINDEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) make regular efforts to strengthen the NS system and recognise the contributions of our national servicemen. Last year, the NS Review Committee (NSRC) submitted recommendations to ensure that NS remained effective amidst Singapore's evolving defence needs, as well as the changing needs of our NSmen. We also commemorated 55 years of NS (NS55). Today, I will provide an update on these efforts. To recap, the NSRC's recommendations can be grouped into three broad thrusts. First, maximising the contributions of servicemen. Second, improving the NS experience. And third, enhancing recognition and support. With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I ask the Clerks to distribute a handout on the NSRC initiatives, which Members may refer to. 11.45 am”
“Mr Chairman, Minister for Defence, Dr Ng, said in his speech, that defence is a long-term business requiring consistent investment over time. Aside from building a capable armed forces that can serve as a deterrence and defend us against threats, MINDEF works hard on defence diplomacy and cooperation – both bilateral and multilateral - to build defence ties and address common security challenges. Mr Shawn Huang and Mr Zhulkarnain asked about this. Let me cite two examples. As Dr Ng had updated the House last year, the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) had agreed to establish the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) in Singapore. This Centre promotes research and information sharing among partner nations on emerging cybersecurity and informational threats. ACICE has started sharing products with all partner nations. The construction of ACICE's physical centre is also underway and we expect a formal launch in the third quarter of this year. The second example is that of the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD). After a two-year hiatus, the SLD resumed last year in a physical format. SLD22 was a successful event that was well-attended by 37 ministerial-level delegates, including from both the US and China. The SLD remains the premier defence and security conference in Asia and provides a venue to affirm mutually beneficial principles and to allow for dialogue, if not build trust. We look forward to commemorating the 20th edition of the SLD this year, where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has agreed to give the keynote address. Beyond investing in a strong SAF and defence diplomacy, we have continuously invested in and evolved the NS system. NS is the cornerstone of our defence and national security.”
“Sir, what the past few years have clearly taught us is that big unknown surprises can catch us unaware and set us back even as we must grapple with known big structural challenges in our economy and society. At the same time, we also learnt in tackling and overcoming these that unity, rationality, ability to build and mobilise trust and always wanting to build a better future Singapore are priceless traits that will set us apart as a country and as a people. So, we, today’s generation and the generations to come, must learn this and must always remember this and come back to this basic tenet which is that we will be stronger together. Sir, I fully support this Budget because it allows us to realise the future and the dreams for Singapore and Singaporeans and, for workers, it makes every worker matter. [Applause.]”
“Beyond individual cases and claims of age discrimination, I hope that the tripartite partners can work closely to leverage on in-company mechanisms to proactively ensure that senior workers are given due consideration and opportunity for training and skills-building. Relevance of skills is a factor that all parties agree will materially impact the employability of a worker. Hence, all efforts aimed at boosting employment and earnings of senior workers will be seriously hampered if they are rendered skills-obsolete through not being given fair consideration and opportunity compared to younger workers. The NTUC-initiated Company Training Committee (CTC) is an in-company mechanism that can serve this purpose of ensuring fair and productive conduct of training for all workers, including senior workers. I thank the Government for the strong support in Budget 2022 via the $100 million grant to spur the scaling up of CTCs to accelerate purposeful training and skills-building in workplaces to meet rapidly changing needs of businesses and workers. I hope that we can fully leverage on such relevant mechanisms and regulations to accelerate fair and productive outcomes for companies and workers. Finally, Mr Speaker, Sir, people I have spoken with who are aware of the contents of this year’s Budget have all said that they felt that the Government understood Singaporeans' concern over inflation and cost of living, and that the Budget measures – ranging from CDC vouchers to Assurance Package payouts to enhanced GST(V) vouchers, conservancy rebates and more – all these go to show the Government’s sincerity and responsiveness to help citizens cope better in this challenging environment. It is appreciated by Singaporeans.”
“Deputy Prime Minister Wong was frank in noting that different age cohorts of workers will likely face different prospects and challenges in saving for an adequate retirement. I am heartened by his pledge that Government will formulate different ways to help Singaporeans achieve basic retirement adequacy and is actively studying ways to do so, beyond the steps that have already been taken such as those in this Budget. A volatile economic environment heightens the risks of intermittent unemployment. Rapidly changing business models and technology force an equally rapid need to reskill and raise the risks of premature exit from the workforce. Market failures result in sticky lower-end wages. These are just some of the challenges that can complicate and undermine retirement adequacy. The future may yet bring even more and even harder tests. This is also why retirement adequacy features as a significant concern among the senior workers as revealed in NTUC’s survey. I therefore agree that this is a critical area to pay attention to because it concerns a basic sense of security and confidence of Singaporeans. The NTUC wants to work closely with Government in this area to see what additional innovations can be arrived at that can yield practical and sustainable improvements, and then to help Government and to help all of society rally our workers’ support for those. Sir, I move on to fair treatment for Senior Workers. MOM recently released the interim report of the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness. I look forward to the final report of the Tripartite Committee and the implementation of its recommendations to further strengthen workplace fairness for all.”